The governor of North Carolina has made a surprising move regarding 15 death row inmates on his last day in office.
As we enter the new year, it’s all change in US politics, with president-elect Donald Trump set to take office and replace Joe Biden as president later this month.
Things are changing in local politics too, with governor Roy Cooper, who acted as North Carolina’s attorney general for 16 years, handing the touch over to fellow Democrat Josh Stein on Wednesday (January 1).
Cooper was not permitted to run for a third term in North Carolina, but that hasn’t stopped him making big decisions in his final day in office.
The governor reduced the death sentence of 15 inmates to life without parole on Tuesday (December 31), which reduced North Carolina’s death row population by more than 10 percent.
A press release stated: “Today (December 31), Governor Roy Cooper announced that he has commuted the sentences of 15 people on death row in North Carolina to life without the possibility of parole. He commuted these sentences after a thorough review of detailed petitions for clemency submitted by the defendants, input from district attorneys and the families of victims, and close review by the Governor’s Office.”
Governor Cooper said: “These reviews are among the most difficult decisions a Governor can make and the death penalty is the most severe sentence that the state can impose.
“After thorough review, reflection, and prayer, I concluded that the death sentence imposed on these 15 people should be commuted, while ensuring they will spend the rest of their lives in prison.”
The press release states no executions have been carried out in the state since 2006 due to ‘ongoing litigation’.
North Carolina had 136 offenders on death row prior to Tuesday’s move, with the governor saying a variety of different factors were considered when deciding to change the sentence.
The circumstances considered included ‘whether a murder was particularly heinous and cruel’, ‘credible claims of innocence’, ‘input from prosecutors in the county of conviction’, ‘age of defendant at the time of the crime’ and ‘current age, health, and mental capacity of the defendant’.
“The Governor’s Office carefully reviewed, researched, and considered these 89 petitions for commutations, which included the 15 that were granted today,” the press release added.
Such a move from an outgoing governor on their final day of office has certainly surprised many.
